1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for data management in a digital cellular system and, in particular, to a data management method in a base station manager (BSM) for managing a base station transceiver subsystem (BTS) and a base station controller (BSC) in a digital cellular system.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional digital cellular system, a base station manager (BSM), (which is one element of base station manager subsystems) functions to maintain a base station transceiver subsystem (BTS) and a base station controller (BSC). The BSM utilizes a main frame work station having an output unit, a system console, a tape drive, and a hard disk drive (HDD). The output unit includes a printer for printing system maintenance information and an audio speaker for sounding a warning. The system console has an operator matching function and a system status output function. The tape drive and the hard disk drive store system information and data.
Conventionally, the BSM manages (i.e., changes, adds, and removes) data by the field unit. This conventional method for changing, adding and removing data is limited to one tuple per corresponding man machine communication (MMC). Thus, when adding and removing a plurality of tuple data lists (i.e., a table which is a congregation of a plurality of associated tuples), the BSM must repeat an adding MMC operation and a removing MMC operation for each tuple data list. Further, when changing a plurality of tuple data, the BSM must repeat a changing MMC operation for each tuple data.
A configuration of related data will be described below for a better understanding of the terms "field" and "tuple". In the relative data configuration, a general user recognizes the data in the form of a table comprising rows and columns. For convenience, the column is called the "field" or an "item", and the row is referred to as a "record". Further, a column representing one field is referred to as an "attribute", and a row representing one record is referred to as the "tuple".
Referring to FIG. 1, a flow chart for a conventional method in a BSM for managing (i.e., changing, adding, and removing) one tuple data list is shown. Conventionally, when an operator requests either a changing, adding or removing MMC operation with respect to certain data in a tuple data list, the BSM performs the changing, adding, or removing MMC operation with respect to the corresponding tuple data list (step 10). Next, the BSM performs an error check operation (step 12). Thereafter, the BSM performs the changing, addition, and removing operation with respect to the data in the corresponding tuple data list (step 14). The BSM then transfers the managed tuple data list to the BSC and the BTS (step 16). The BSM then updates the managed tuple data list into a database upon receiving an acknowledge signal from the BSC and the BTS (step 18). The results of the operation are then output by the BSM, for example, via a graphic user interface (GUI) (step 20).
This conventional data management method has several disadvantages. First, it is difficult to manage the data since the data is managed by the tuple and, therefore, every field must be independently managed when changing a whole tuple data list. Indeed, if the BSM was to simultaneously manage the data of several fields using the conventional method, confusion in the data management operation may occur.
Another disadvantage is that the MMC operation must be repeated. For example, in order to change (i.e., manage) the tuple data list in the sector unit of a neighboring cell during a hand-off operation, the operator must first check the tuple data list via a display MMC operation so as to check the details of the tuple data list that are changed. Thereafter, the operator must change data of the neighbor cell by performing the changing MMC operation, and then determine once again whether or not the data has been correctly changed by performing a display MMC operation. In other words, the operator must sequentially perform the following operations: a display MMC-&gt;the changing MMC-&gt;repeat the display MMC.
A further disadvantage of the conventional data management method is that it is difficult to manage the data when several tuples are interlocked (closely related) to one another by several tuple data lists units. For instance, if a tuple data list having a top priority is removed, all the remaining tuple data lists positioned according to the priority order must be changed (i.e., shifted up by one step). Indeed, there are eight to fifty-six tuples having a relation to one another when a neighbor cell is managed for a hand-off operation. As mentioned above, the conventional method requires that the MMCs be performed repeatedly for the respective tuples, which is burdensome for the operator.
Another disadvantage of the conventional method is that multiple MMC operations must repeated since the MMC according to the prior art is divided into four individual units, i.e., the adding MMC, removing MMC, changing MMC, and display MMC.